Curious about... (Denver: school, live, safe)

[Magnat68]

health issues. Anyone here taking medications for depression, anxiety or similar reasons able to drop them after adjusting to life in Colorado where the sun shines more and you're able to get out more?

Also wondering if more outdoor activity year round might be the answer to helping our ds kick the meds he is on? He is pretty active but we have noticed he does so much better here during the spring and summer months, and we can drop his meds down quite a bit. Of course I'd love to see him drop the meds all together, but I know that may not be likely. As a parent you just want to know you're doing all you can to keep your kids safe and healthy, and prefer to do it naturally but sometimes there is no getting around the meds.

Anyway just curious as to thoughts experiences from others....

Thanks!

[BusySocialWorker]

Every case is so different, but working in the child mental health field in the Denver Metro area, I do know that many children remained on their medications. The sunshine and active outdoor life may help, but remember there are still winter days and days indoors and true depression is more related to hormones and SSRI's typically help the most

I would discuss the issue with your doctor or mental health provider, and possibly contact Children's Hospital in Denver just to get a read on their feelings about the issue as well. If he does suffer from a seasonal affective disorder he may benifit, but generalized anxiety, situational anxiety, and depression type symptoms may not be effected tremendously (but who's to say -- trying wouldn't hurt right ). Of course the typical disclaimer of talk with your doctor before making any medication changes

Best of luck to you and your family!

[Cin]

Hi,
Ironically here in AZ ...oddly enough I read that we have one of the highest rates of depression in the country...and there sure is alot of sun! Relatives and friends I know that suffer from depression...well it doesn't seem to matter where they live. Either it is situational or it is a chronic medical condition. But I would hope that it would at least improve somewhat for your son! Sometimes just breathing fresh air...sunshine and encountering warm friendly people can bring much needed change. God Bless. Cin

[dgoboy204]

Hi Magnat68,

I have a friend who grew up in Colo who went to school in the Northwest for a couple of years and went through some tough depression with the lower levels of sunlight - he found that full-spectrum light bulbs and other "sunlight lamps" helped a lot - for him it more or less eliminated the problem sometimes - not sure if he was ever on meds. I think he has come back to Colo to finish school.

Everyone is different, but other ideas you might check out: day-time exercise, the blood type diet (also gives ideas for appropriate exercise), raw food diet, food rotation diet, www.emofree.com, www.naet.com, and sam-e. Of course the disclaimer given by BusySocialWorker still applies.

Best wishes and good luck!

[Magnat68]

Thanks! We have not tried the lights yet but think we will get one and try it. We are putting him back on his blood type diet. We dropped that some (relaxed it alot) when he started meds. Maybe the combination will help.

Thanks for your views. I wasn't sure how drastic the climate and etc would help. Now we have a better idea...things might be about the same or dosage lowered a bit, and more time outside which is really the biggie.